Heartless Ending rewrite
by Abbycat10109
Summary: This version of the ending is not happily ever after. Cath does grieve, but she has a much stronger sense of vengeance. She is much quicker and more creative with how she will avenge Jest. This ending also lets there be a possibility of another book.


She had slain the Jabberwock; she had done it. The monster was dead. Hearts was saved. It was over. They would take Mary Ann to safety and leave Peter to mourn his wife. In the morning, she and Jest and Hatta and Raven would be far, far, away from here and none-not a single one of the sister's prophecies had come true. In the stillness, Cath forced herself to look at Peter. His expression filled with anguish and pain as he stared at the severed monster. Cath was filled with unexpected sympathy. Peter cried out, falling to his knees, then onto the limp body of what had once been his small and quiet wife. He glared up at Catherine.

"You are the monsters now!" He ground his jaw barring his teeth, venom, and murder in his eyes. "You are heartless!" Cath didn't expect the words to sting, but they did. She had killed his wife. She was a hero, but also a murderer. She dropped the sword in her hand staring at the ground. Blood had soaked through the layers of her dress, and her feet were numb in the icy mud. Jest came from behind her taking her hand. The small, simple gesture warmed her for, only a moment before he began to lead her away from the scene. Peter cried out in anguish burying his head in his arms. Caths heart twinged. Was she the murderer? The Jabberwock had killed many, including lion who had risked his life to save her. Jest was leading her back towards the gate. Hatta put a hand on her shoulder; she looked up at him. He wouldn't meet her eyes, giving her his crooked smile. No, she was a murderer. After leaving the pumpkin patch, the air became lighter, but her head pounded. Jest had put his hat back on his head. The kohl usually around his eyes had run in dark lines of sweat down the sides of his face. Cath swallowed. Murderer, Martyr, monarch, mad. It was their warning. If she truly was a murderer then would the rest of the prophecy come true? Her head was spinning now, the whole world blurry and dizzying. Now falling and falling.

Cath didn't remember how she had gotten to her bed. The silky sheets were warm, the fire crackling beside her as she forced open her eyes. Jest was leaning against the window sill, twirling a white rose. The kohl was now drawn in bleeding hearts beneath his eyes. Her body felt tired and sore, but she pried herself from the bedsheets anyway. Her feet were bare on the warm carpet of her bedroom. "Jest-"

"It's alright, go back to your bed. I will be gone soon. Everyone will forget about your disappearing. The people of hearts are excellent at forgetting and throwing parties." Jest didn't look at her.

" What are you talking about? What about Chess and the war, and our life together?" Cath entwined their fingers staring hopefully into his lemon tart eyes.

"Plans have changed." He looked away. Nodding his head towards the window, it was a small movement, but it was enough. Cath pushed aside the curtains and leaned out the window. Below Hatta sat on a branch of the lemon tree, his crooked grin staring back at her.

"Why Lady Pinkerton! Have you come to see me?" Hatta's eyes were wild. "I'm terribly busy today, today, tomorrow, tomorrow. People just keep coming and going, and coming and going." He trailed off plucking a ripe lemon from the tree. Worry filled Catherine's chest; she clung to all the hope she could manage.

"Hatta-"

"Oh! Lady Pinkerton, I must tell you! I've figured it out!" Her chest fell, letting out the air in her lungs.

"Figured out what Hatta?"

"The riddle of course! Why is a Raven like a writing desk? Because, my lady, they are both filled with whimsical notes and black ink, black as night, dripping like the bleeding hearts on a joker's cheeks." Hatta cackled "It's almost tea time Lady Pinkerton, won't you join me?" He then began to sing "Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater had a wife but couldn't keep her..." He trailed off humming to himself leaning back onto the trunk of the tree. Cath shut the curtains bringing herself back into the room. She turned back to jest, his eyes full of sorrow and unspoken pain.

"He's gone mad." His words were quiet and slow.

"That doesn't mean anything, Hatta knew it was coming, he had known it his whole life! Jest we can't give up. Don't let the sisters get to you. Please, I can't give up. I can't marry the king and…" Jest took Caths hand placing a kiss against her palm.

"Cath, if I stay here, they will find me, and I will become…"Catherine put her hand on his shoulder. "The Martyr."

"Right." Cath sighed letting her hand fall to her side. "At Least stay here with me for the night."

"Yes, Lady Pinkerton," Jest bowed respectfully, giving her his most mischievous grin. Before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Jest sprawled across one of the upholstered chairs against the wall. Cath settled onto the carpet beneath it, leaning her head against the chair, they were both exhausted. Their fingers remained intertwined as Cath slowly drifted to sleep.

Cath awoke on the carpet with a pillow beneath her head. Her hand was still in jests. The sun glared through the trees, casting the shadows of the morning across her room. Cath sat up slightly before gripping jests hand. A thought tickled at the back of her mind before she became fully awake. Jest was supposed to be gone. She got to her feet. "Jest! Get up! She went to the door, twisting the handle ever so slowly before peering into the hallway. No one seemed to be awake, not even the silent patter of servants feet. No one must have known she had returned. Cath turned back to Jest, before jolting backward repulsed. Blood covered the chair and the floor. Jest was deathly pale with no color to his skin. She dared her eyes to work their way down his body. His throat was slit, and chest viciously stabbed again and again. She choked, stumbling backward, letting out a scream. Tears flooded her eyes as her heart shattered. Jest was dead, mutilated while she had slept. Horror swept over her. Who had done it? She continued to step backward before large hands wrapped around her neck. She screamed this time with pure terror. Peter held a bloodied dagger before her, it's edging looked dull and jagged. He held her neck against the wall with one hand choking her, he growled.

"Hello, lady Pinkerton." Cath began to gurgle, attempting to scream, she kicked at him. She was helpless. "How does it feel, to have your only love dismembered right before you." He barred his teeth; his green eyes had turned murderous, like the night before. Cath clawed at his arm digging her nails into his hand trying to pry it away from her throat.

"YOU MURDEROUS CREATURE!" she shrieked. "YOU DEMON!" Peter scrunched up his face and bellowed.

"You killed my wife! So now, I killed your Jest!" He spat the word out like rotten milk. "I did you the favor of letting you live to see his murdered body." He grinned, "Let your heart split with the same anguish I endured. But now it's time to finish my revenge." There was a noise outside her door.

"Cath? Is that you!?" Her parents burst into the room. Her mother screamed. Her father's eyes were wide as Peter brought the knife to her throat. Unsheathing his sword her father buried the blade straight through Sir Peter's heart. His now cold body fell to the carpet with a thud. Blood soaked onto the floor. Cath fell limp against the wall grasping her throat, her lungs burned. Her mother ran to her. "Catherine! Oh, my sweet Catherine when did you return?" Cath didn't reply. She stood staring blankly at Jest. Her mother glanced at the mutilated body; she screamed repulsed. She put a hand on Caths back, leading her into the hallway. "Let's get you cleaned up. Now, where is Mary Ann?" Her mother took her to the washroom, calling for a maid. Cath heard nothing; silence echoed in her mind, a hollow emptiness reverberated through her. She wanted to faint, but it only reminded her of Jest, who was now nothing but a cold, dead, body.

It had been three days since the night she slain the Jabberwock, and Jest had been killed. Only three days and the king had already asked to marry her, already decided it would happen as soon as possible. Cath had turned herself into a puppet, still never smiling or laughing, but she talked and dressed, and prepared for her wedding, all in bitter numbness. Cath stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror. Mary Ann carefully laid a heavy necklace of large rubies and red gems around her neck. Her lips were the traditional red, and her hair was pinned up, dotted with white roses.

"Take them out," Cath said harshly. Mary Ann looked at her blankly for a moment. "The roses. Get them out of my hair. I don't want to see another white rose in my vicinity ever again. Do you understand?" Mary Ann took the flowers from her hair, tucking them away into the pocket of her apron. "In fact, I want all the white roses in this kingdom painted red. Go find that funny looking rabbit and tell him to send the courtiers to do it." She proclaimed snidely.

"My lady-" Mary Ann stuttered

"No. Get rid of them all," She rose her voice. "Get rid of them now!" Cath was nearly screaming. Mary Ann was quick to leave the room. Cath stood from her chair going to the windowsill where Raven had stayed since the moment of Jests death. "Raven, find every relative of Sir Peter and bring their heads to the castle after the wedding. We will leave as soon as I am married, but it would be rude to leave the king without a gift." Ravens yellow eyes gleamed against his midnight feathers, he opened his beak then flew from the window sill.

Catherine's parents ensured the wedding was quick, all of Hearts was there to watch, but after her recent escapade, they took no chances. Cath sat on the throne next to the king's golden throne in the great hall, while the people around them feasted. A wicked grin spread across her face as a tap tapping came at the chamber door. The courtiers pulled open the large wooden doors. Raven flew across the grand room, landing on her shoulder. She ran a finger down his back. Cath stood up smoothing her red wedding gowns fabric. She walked across the hall, Lords, and Ladies stared at her, but she never looked back at them. The king called after her. Cath pushed aside the courtiers. An eight of spades came running after her, but she had reached the main entrance. The doors hung loosely on their hinges, and outside Raven had put the heads onto spikes and staked them to the ground outside the front doors. She smirked. The king came running on his short stubby legs after her, with a crowd behind him. They all recoiled, at the sight of the spikes. Cath was long gone before any of them had mustered the courage to leave the castle.

Cath stood in front of the door leading to Chess. She could see the outlines of trees on the other side. Raven's talons dug into her shoulder before he flew through the open doorway. She was going to Chess after all. It was ironic, the first time she stood in front of this door she was about to live happily ever after with Jest. Now she was going to Chess. She was going to find the queen who had sent him to Hearts; Cath would make her pay. Pay for everything; Jests death, her broken heart, and their crushed dreams. Cath stepped through the hazy mist to find Raven in human form. He held a broad ax, with a hood over his face. Two knights had been guarding the door; they drew their swords unsure of what to do. Raven stared at Catherine, waiting for her orders. Vengeance pulsed through her, as she reminded herself why she was there. Cath gave them a wicked smile, then straightened her crown.

"Off with their heads."


End file.
